A kidnapping and subsequent murder last weekend were the outcome of a drug deal rip-off involving a major drug cartel, according to the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office.

One man is dead, one was arrested and four others are wanted for their involvement in the drug deal and corresponding crimes.

Upon investigation, authorities believe that one day during the week of Christmas, several members of the Sinaloa cartel, a drug-trafficking organization based in Mexico, supplied around $160,000 worth of cocaine to Demarcus Lamont Cates, 23, and Rontel Vincae Royster, 24, who both live in the Raleigh/Durham area but have family in Alamance County.

Sheriff Terry Johnson said investigators believe Cates and Royster never paid for the drugs, and around 7 p.m. last Saturday, members of the cartel kidnapped Royster’s father, Ronald Royster, from his Grace Avenue apartment.

On Dec. 29, Rontel Royster and Cates went to Otter Creek Mobile Home Park on East Simpson Road in Green Level with a quantity of cocaine to exchange for Ronald Royster, who had been tied up inside a residence there, Johnson said. Cates and Royster had a satchel of cocaine, Johnson said, which they handed to Hector Manuel Lopez Jr., 19, who took off running with the drugs into nearby woods. Cates allegedly pulled out his gun and fatally shot 24-year-old Humberto Reyes Florez three or four times in the head and arms.

Randy Jones, public information officer for the Sheriff’s Office, said investigators believe Florez stayed at the Green Level mobile home park some of the time, but may also have lived in Texas or Arizona.

When deputies responded to a call about the shooting, they found Florez’s body on the ground near lot 22, according to a news release.

Johnson said there was no exchange of gunfire from members of the cartel during the incident.

Jones said Cates and Royster fled in a vehicle, and he believed that Royster’s father got in the vehicle as well.

Johnson said often, cartel members may “front” cocaine for a period of time before taking action against those who haven’t paid.

“I believe they’ve done business together before,” Johnson said of Cates, Royster and the members of Sinaloa.

So far, only one suspect has been arrested: Humberto Rafael Anzaldo, 18, of 4531 Tangle Ridge Trail, Burlington, was charged with first-degree kidnapping and trafficking cocaine. Johnson said Anzaldo has already been released from jail on bond.

The Sheriff’s Office has obtained warrants for the arrest of four others: Hector Manuel Lopez Jr., 19, and Luis Armondo Perez, 23, are both accused of first-degree kidnapping and trafficking cocaine. Cates will be charged with second-degree murder and trafficking cocaine, and Rontel Royster with accessory after the fact of second-degree murder and trafficking cocaine.

Jones said Royster was driving the vehicle in which Cates fled after the shooting.

Page 2 of 2 - Johnson said nine other known Sinaloa cartel members were arrested in August 2011 during a drug trafficking operation in Alamance County, but that members of the cartel have been around for longer than that.